Toon tell Owen to accept £30k a-week pay slash... says the Mail

[dustynrg]

Do you really think anyone will pay him what we're paying him? The top 4 obviously aren't interested, if Spurs really want him are they going to pay him even 80k a week? I doubt it. I think the delay is due to him waiting to see whether any club will take him and pay him what he thinks he's worth. If no-one comes in for him he'll be busting a gut to have a few good months till January, if he does someone might pick him up then.

 

[Guest Mucky01]

would he shirk out of the physical side of the game as he won’t have the financial security of a long term contract?

[jarralad]

would he shirk out of the physical side of the game as he won’t have the financial security of a long term contract?

 

He doesnt need "financial security" even with a supposed 30 grand paycut he would still be one of the richest footballers in the uk if not the world.

[Guest michaelfoster]

only teams abroad can approach him in Jan, i thought if its in the same country its 6 weeks? before his contract ends iirc

[Guest rebel_yell12]

would he shirk out of the physical side of the game as he won’t have the financial security of a long term contract?

 

 

I think jarralad is right on this one.  Michael Owen is financially secure.  He was financially secure before he turned 21 years old.  The man is already worth 42mil+ according to the lists recently published.  He has at least one endorsement deal (Umbro) that pays him 1mil+ per year until he's 40 (announced a 15 year deal when he was 25).  Most of us would love to see 1 mil in 20 years (50k per year).  That said, I don't think Owen is being greedy -- assuming pay is even any issue at all (it's all been paper talk).  Even if, as would seem to be a consensus, Ashley wants to cut the wage bill, he's already working on that (Emre replaced by a cheaper player iirc, lost some dead-weight ie Ramage & Carr, hopeful of replacing Smith with a cheaper & more productive player, etc.).  Michael Owen generates a load of money, for his sponsors, his club, and probably even for England (kits, etc.).  I don't see why he should not be properly remunerated for that.  Is it silly money?  Of course.  But Ashley's making silly money, as is almost every club in England, off the efforts of these players. 

 

I don't think, honestly, in more than ten years of watching Michael Owen play, that I've ever seen him "shirk out" of anything.  Not a tackle, not running, nor anything else.  Never suspected him of giving less than 100% on the pitch.  Of all the crap Liverpool fans have thrown at him/his reputation, that was never one of them.  Whether this is a "virtue" in Owen, or simply his hyper-competitive nature, who knows?  Don't care if it's because he just despises not playing well and/or losing for himself, or because he feels a "moral obligation" or whatever to his employer/the fans.